The senior left-hander's growth from little-used reliever to weekend starter looms large as the Boilermakers push for a Big Ten Tournament berth.

Story Highlights

Patrick J. Smith is 4-3 with a 4.10 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings.

The Schaumburg, Illinois, native began his career at Heartland Junior College.

WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue baseball senior Patrick J. Smith adopted a new level of accountability last summer in order to earn a bigger role on the pitching staff.

If that commitment ever wavers, he and his three roommates — teammates Bryce Bonner, Trevor Cheaney and Nick Evarts — came up with a solution.

"We have a complaint jar," Smith said. "Any time you complain about anything that we consider soft, we pay a dollar. It kind of adds up."

That petty cash goes towards groceries, cleaning supplies and other sundries around the apartment. Smith's dedication more directly pays off on the mound. In the span of the past year, the left-hander from suburban Chicago has risen from little-used reliever to weekend starter.

Purdue senior Patrick J. Smith has developed from little-used reliever last season to weekend Big Ten starter in 2019.(Photo: Purdue Athletics)

Smith will start Sunday's finale of this weekend's crucial series against Michigan State. The Boilermakers (6-8 in Big Ten play) trail Ohio State and Rutgers (both 7-8) for eighth place with nine games remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the conference tournament.

Smith realized the goal he set at the end of last season to earn a starting role, then dropped out of the rotation after two rough outings in April. However, he bounced back last week with two scoreless starts, striking out 13 against one walk over 8 2/3 innings.

"It was a goal and a mindset combined," Smith said, "I saw myself — and I'm always going to see myself — as one of the best competitors on the team, whether here, back at my junior college or in high school.

"I wanted to take that role on as a challenge for myself, so I had something to work on all summer — something I could see for myself that was far away but not unattainable."

Smith pitched only 10 times last season after transferring from Heartland Junior College. The Boilermaker staff loved his raw stuff — a moving fastball creeping up on the mid 90s and a breaking ball and change-up, both of which coach Mark Wasikowski called "major league average."

Yet Wasikowski saw deficits in the dedication necessary for Smith to make the most of those talents.

"He has the stuff to pitch at the next level — all the way up to bullpens at the next level," Wasikowski said. "The rest of it was TBA. Is he really going to commit to taking this great ability he has and really spending the time and effort to develop it?"

Smith agreed. When he wasn't pitching for the Lafayette Aviators of the Prospect League last summer, he kept his schedule full of other activities.

Summer school. Working for the grounds crew. A lot of running and lifting. Smith began meeting with Purdue sports dietitian Elaine Wanstreet weekly. He started cooking more meals for himself, substituting leaner meats for red meat.

In the process, Smith dropped from the 235 he weighed at the end of last season to his current listing of 215. While he stops short of saying that made him a better pitcher, he believes it improved his athleticism and his stamina.

While Smith opened the season in the bullpen, he and almost everyone else on the staff received a starting audition as the Boilermakers sought stability for the rotation. He debuted with a quality start at Texas, then solidified his status with a strong three-start run in March. Including Big Ten victories over Northwestern and Penn State, Smith struck out 24 against eight walks while allowing three runs over 18 1/3 innings.

Stay informed

Support local journalism and read more stories like this one by becoming a J&C subscriber.

Smith's main accountability buddy is his catcher and roommate, Bryce Bonner. The teammates began to bond last season as a bullpen battery. Bonner typically catches all of Smith's starts now, and the two share notes on that day's game or bullpen sessions over meals or around the apartment.

This season, Bonner sees more than a physical change in his roommate. The same "dog mentality" Bonner saw from Smith off the field now shows up on the mound.

"I think it's just a confidence thing, and then just him getting his opportunity and taking advantage of his opportunity," Bonner said. "His presence on the mound is a lot different than last year.

"No matter whether he's throwing well or not throwing well, you can always tell he has that confidence. He has that presence and that makeup that he's going to get the job done."